David X. Cohen

The creator of 'The Simpsons' guest-starred on the new 'Futurama' (Thu., 10PM ET on Comedy Central). Matt Groening is the artist who came up with the Simpson family. He also happens to have created a little series called, um ... 'Futurama.' Matt has had some bumpy times with the Fox Network -- and tonight, he mocked and satirized his employers.

During the episode, the 'Futurama' cast appears at "Comic-Con 3010." Groening is also in attendance, to premiere a new show called "Futurella." But before the opening credits can even finish, Matt's show is instantly canceled by 20th Century Fox. "Wow," Groening says. "Fox has really streamlined the process."

Futurama has gone through more frustrating cancellations than a United Airlines flight leaving Chicago's O'Hare Airport. No one knows that better than voice actor Billy West and actress Katey Sagal who respectively provide the voice, heart and soul of the show's two main characters, Fry and Leela.

But what has kept the show going is the camaraderie of the cast and crew. Everyone from the show still keep in touch in between other jobs and even have the occasional reunion from their regular crowded visits at ComicCon to smaller get togethers like when Katey said the cast got together to watch her last concert at the MBar in Hollywood.

Most of all, they said they have the fans to thank for their next big reunion when Futurama goes back into production. They both took a short time out of their busy schedules to chat about Comedy Central's two season order.

If you thought Futurama had nowhere to go after the climatic series-long ending with Into the Wild Green Yonder (and notice I'm not revealing what that ending is so you spoiler-hating surprise junkies don't lose your half-daily hit of whahuh?!?), think again.

The good news is Cohen seems to be brimming with more crazy ideas than a Hardee's product development retreat, but he doesn't reveal anything too specific in terms of what Fry, Leela and Bender will be doing in the episodes to come.

Have you grown tired of bad TV news? And by bad TV news, I mean bad news about television shows. Bad "TV news" is redundant.

Well, get ready for some good news. No wait, get ready for some great news. No, great doesn't really describe it. Here is some grantasticularly wondergasmiclicious news! (And my 12th grade English teacher said I'd never amount to anything as a writer.)

Comedy Central has ordered all brand new episodes of Futurama, and the show has officially gone back into production.

The next Futurama direct-to-DVD movie has a title. According to an interview with Futurama producer David X. Cohen, the subtitle of the movie will be Bender's Game. It's a pun on the classic sci-fi novel Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

A preview of the video is on the latest release, The Beast With a Billion Backs, and involves the Planet Express crew caught in a Lord of the Rings-type alternate universe. It's the Futurama team's first foray into fantasy.

Thanks to the extreme generosity of Fox Home Entertainment, TV Squad has scored an advance copy of the latest direct-to-DVD Futurama release titled The Beast With A Billion Backs. Previously, we directed you to another DVD review of the show, but now this one is ours! All ours! MWA HA HA HA!

A-hem.

The second direct-to-DVD release of Futurama is a fun movie with loads of extras that make the purchase worth it. They include outtakes, deleted scenes, commentary tracks, and an extra I particularly enjoyed: a "Lost Episode" made from a Futurama video game (which was a bit like watching a video game demo, but with jokes). The DVD also comes with a preview of the next Futurama DVD release which looks to be a satire of Lord of the Rings. Guest voices include Brittany Murphy as Fry's new girlfriend, David Cross as the planet-sized Yivo and Professor Stephen Hawking as himself.

Disclaimer: TV Squad will soon be posting its own review of this Direct-to-DVD Futurama movie. Rather than keep our loyal readers in suspense, we'll be directing you to another review site until the DVD finally arrives in the mail.

The story takes place about a month after the events of Bender's Big Score. It seems that there has been a rip in time and space and a giant mutli-tentacled alien is reaching through to try and have sex with everyone on the planet (if two people having sex are the beast with two backs, then...well, you get the idea).

As the first Futurama straight-to-DVD movie, Bender's Big Score, begins airing on Comedy Central (they'll air the movie as a four-episode blok on Sunday night), Fox has announced the name and release date of the second straight-to-DVD epic.

AnimationMagazine.net reports that Futurama: The Beast With A Billion Backs will be released on June 24, and they note that Fox calls it "the most tentacle-packed Futurama epic." Since it's a continuation of Bender's Big Score, I'll talk about the plot of the new movie after the jump, for the benefit of those who haven't seen the first movie yet.

Names are bestowed on people in many ways. Sometimes a name of a favorite relative or famous ancestor is given. Other times the provided name comes from a Hollywood star that you may adore. Then, there are times that a person's name comes from a Apple II video game that was completely coded in Assembly Language.

The last one is how Futurama's downtrodden, but lovable, Dr. Zoidberg got his name. The second one mentioned is the reason I named my son Mr. T Alf Keller.

David X. Cohen spilled a few beans recently to Toyfare Magazine about the upcoming new Futurama season that'll be both direct to DVD, and appearing on Comedy Central. Right now it's like the chicken and egg, and nobody knows which will come first, but I know that one way or another, I'll be watching. Here's a couple of tidbits:

The entire original cast is returning

You'll find out some of Nibbler's secrets

Al Gore is back

What more can you ask for? Except of course, for them to hurry up and finish it. How long does someone have to wait for some new Futurama goodness? Apparently at least a year longer. The new Futurama won't be ready until 2008, meaning that five years will have passed since a new episode has been seen. Five years! Still, I suppose it's a small price to pay. How many shows come back from the dead after that long? Does this mean I shouldn't give up hope on Gilligan's Island?